administrators

Arguably one of the most challenging openings among college presidencies today is the chancellor's job at City College of San Francisco, which faces a potential loss of accreditation, severe financial difficulties and tensions between the administration and faculty and student groups. Robert Agrella, a state-appointed special trustee, has named four finalists, The San Francisco Chronicle reported. The finalists are Terry Calaway, former president of Johnson County Community College, in Kansas; Stephen M. Curtis, former president of the Community College of Philadelphia; Cathy Perry-Jones, vice president for administration at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities; and Arthur Q. Tyler, former president of Sacramento City College.

Bellingham Technical College faculty resumed classes Monday following their weeklong strike over union contract negotiations. A three-year contract deal reached over the weekend includes a 3 percent raise for faculty per pay step, bigger stipends, longevity bonuses, and pay raises for adjunct faculty at the Washington institution.

Leaders of the Bellingham Education Association, affiliated with the National Education Association, said they looked forward to improved relations with the administration in a union news release. “We’re serious about wanting to improve our college,” said Don Anderson, a welding technology professor who served on the union bargaining team.

In a statement, Bellingham President Patricia McKeown said the college was pleased to have a contract in place. “We will all need to help each other through a healing process and get back to doing what we do best -- changing our students’ lives for the better and contributing to a healthy economy.”

Benedictine University, in Illinois, has barred alcohol in student residencies, even for students of legal drinking age, The Chicago Tribune reported. The move comes two weeks after two women -- one a student at the university and the other her friend -- reported being sexually assaulted after attending a party at which alcohol was served.

Moody's Investors Service on Tuesday announced that it has downgraded Howard University's credit rating from A3 to Baa1 (or from a low to moderate credit risk). Moody's cited a number of financial challenges facing Howard, including budget problems at the university hospital, declines in enrollment, and dependence on federal support at a time that such support will be difficult to grow. Sidney A. Ribeau, president of Howard, said in a statement to The Washington Post that the university has "a robust strategy to mitigate soft enrollment,” and plans for long-term changes in the hospital.

Evan Dobelle, president of Westfield State University, is under fire for what Massachusetts officials consider to be extravagant or inappropriate spending. The Republican quoted sources saying that Dobelle is exploring the idea of using the state's whistleblower protection law to protect himself. The theory is that since he self-reported some of the questionable spending, he is a whistleblower. A spokeswoman for the university said she didn't know of any legal strategy being considered. But the newspaper noted that Dobelle has of late been telling people "I self-reported."

Lafayette College has announced new rules for alcohol violations by athletes, with various levels of sanctions based on a variety of factors. But The Express-Times noted that the new rules do not eliminate a "Good Samaritan" policy under which athletes can report a friend in trouble without fear of facing any charges. An earlier version of the rules did eliminate that policy, prompting considerable anger from athletes at the college.

Adjuncts at Wright State University reached their first union agreement with the institution last week. The 180-member union of full-time adjuncts is affiliated with the American Association of University Professors.

In an e-mail, Rudy Fichtenbaum, president of the AAUP and professor of economics at Wright State, said the contract was notable for its tenure-like job protections, including assurances of due process and continuous employment. It also includes a 2 percent raise and professional development funds, among other benefits. A separate agreement signed alongside the contract guarantees workloads of seven to eight courses annually for full-time adjuncts, depending on their rank.